Battle board tennis game



Jan. 5, 1937. M. K. BROWNE BATTLE BOARD TENNIS GAME Filed Dec. 3l, 1955 1U INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Jan. 5, 1937 UNITED STATES Aran OFFICE 16 Claims.

This invention relates to games and more particularly to abattle board tennis game.

An object of the present invention is to provide a new' game that is adapted for either indoor or outdoor use.

Another object isv to provide la new game that may beplayed by one or more players with the conventional tennis racket and balls.

A further Objectis to provide battle boar-d tennis game equipment that is rugged, easily installed and with or without simply and easily adjustable portions. for increasing or decreasing the rapidity of play.

' With the above andpther objects in View, which Will be apparent from the following detailed 4description, the present invention may be said to consist in certain features oi construction and combinations of parts which will be understood readily by those skilled in the art to which the inventionlappertains.

In the drawing, which illustrates suitable embodiments of the invention:

Fig. l -is a perspective View of a game installationthat includes iioor markings;

Fig. 2 is an elevational view ofthegame installation equipment that is shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged side elevation of the board edge andthe net supporting means;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged section taken along the line lI-A of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 isan enlarged section taken substantially along the line5-5 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged section taken substantially along the line 6-6 of Fig. ll;

Fig. 'l is an enlarged elevation of the net carrying hook on the end of the net supporting means that is shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is an edge elevation of a modified form of` metal construction; y

Fig. 9 is an enlarged section taken along the line 3 9 of Fig. 8;`

Fig. 10 is an enlarged edge view of the lower portion of the board that is shown in Fig. 8;

Fig. l1 is an enlarged plan View of the net stretching `means that forms a part of the assembly that is shown in Fig. 8.

The game mechanism comprises a back board I, a bottomlboar-d 2, that is disposed in angular relation'with respect to the back board I to deliver the return ball over the net 3, and the net 3 that is preferablyY supported by the net supportingarmsA and that is spacedfrom the bottom` boards2. r.

The iioor markings comprise the boundaryside lnesrrthat arefcontinuouswith the endboundaryV base line 6, the pair of transverse lines 7, that, together with the side lines 5 -delne theboundaries of the service courts into which the ball returned from a serve must strike, and which are divided into right and left service courts by the middle line 8, and the service box lines 9 from which the ball may be served against the board. The service may be from back of the base line 6, if desired. Service above the line Iaon the back board I, or that completely misses both the back board I and the bottom board 2, indicates a service beyond the opponents base line and out of bounds.

The assembly of the back board I, the tilted bottom board 2, land the net carrying arms 4, is supported in any suitable manner, as by a frame .of wood or other suitable material. The side posts III, of the board supporting frame, rest at their lower ends on the iloor sills II. The back board I and the tilted bottom board 2, are of any suitable material, such as the plywood I2, that may, if desired, be surfaced with a suitable sound deadening and ball return slowing material, such 'as the bre board I3.

The board supporting frame may be stabilized, ii desired, by one or `more braces I il, that have one end secured to the side posts II] by a screw bolt I5, and that may have their opposite ends secured to a rigid support, such asa wall or the like.

The bottom board 2 is disposed in angular relation with the back board I. The bottom board is preferably, tho not necessarily, secured to the back board I in hinged relation therewith, in order to vary its angular position with respect to the back board I, as by the hinges I6 that are interposed therebetween.

The tilted bottom board 2 is preferably adjustably mounted on the board frame by suitable means, as by the link I1, that has one end pivotally mounted adjacent the bottom edge of the bottom board 2, by the pin I8. The opposite end of the link Il may be apertured for the reception of the headed bolt I9, that, by the operation of the wing nut 20, may be adjustably positioned along the slotted plate 2l, that is permanently secured to the upright side posts ICI of the board supporting frame.

The net supporting arms l are preferably, but not necessarily, rotatably mounted on the side posts IIJ of the board supporting frame, so that the net supportingr arms 4 may be folded back out of the way when the game is not in use.

Suitable hinge members,. such as the upper hinge bracket` 22, to` oneplate 22a. of which an end of the net supporting arm 4 is secured, and the lower hinge bracket 23, to a plate of which the net supporting arm brace 24 an-d the net supporting arm upright 25, are secured, serve to attach each net supporting arm assembly to the board supporting frame.

A net tightening means is preferably provided, such as the hand wheel 2S, that forms an end portion of the screw 2?. The screw 21 makes threaded engagement with the boss 23, that forms a part of a plate 22a of the upper hinge bracket 22. rhe screw 2l', has an end portion remote from the hand wheel 23, that bears against the other plate of the upper hinge bracket 22. The rotation of the hand wheel 26 serves to adjust the tension to which the net 3 is subjected.

The net engaging hook 29 is mounted at the free end of the net supporting arm 4, and serves as a means for mounting the upper rope of the net on the net supporting arm 4.

In the metal construction, that is shown in Figs. 8-1l, inclusive, of the drawing, the tubular side posts 30 of the board supporting frame, terminate downwardly in the floor anges 3l. The brace 30a serves to stabilize the board supporting frame.

The back board 32 and the bottom board 34 are preferably formed of a suitable non-vibrating material, such as a hyrib corrugated sheet metal, or the like, that is preferably surfaced with a sound deadening and ball return retarding material, such as the nbre-board 33, or the like. The back board 32 is rigidly mounted on a board supporting frame in any suitable manner.

The bottom board 34 is preferably adjustably secured to the back board 32 by a plurality of hinges 35, that are interposed therebetween.

The adjustment of the bottom board 34 is eff fected by the sliding of the fittings 36 up or down on the end posts 30, of the board supporting frame, on which the ttings 36 are mounted, and the tightening of the hand wheels 3l, when the desired position for the bottom board is located.

The fittings 36 are connected to the bottom board 34 by the links 38 that are pivoted at one end to the fittings 36, and at their other ends to bosses that form parts of the bottom board 34.

The net supporting arms 39, are preferably pivotally mounted on the end posts 3Q in any suitable manner, as by the journalling of the hollow shaft 40 in the pipe fittings 4l, that are rigidly mounted on the end posts 3G of the board supporting frame.

The net supporting arms 39 are supported at their net carrying free ends by suitable means, such as by the chains 42. Each chain 42 has a link at its upper end passed over a hook 43, that is rigidly mounted on a side post 3i) of the board supporting frame.

When the apparatus is not in use the net supporting arms 39 may be lifted and a link of each chain 42, that is adjacent the net carrying free end of the net supporting arm 39, may be passed over the hook 43 for collapsing the net against the back board 32.

The net engaging screw hooks 44, that are positioned at the free ends of the net supporting arms 39, may be used to tighten the net on the rotation of the hand wheel 45.

Ihe procedure in the playing of the game of battle board tennis is in substantial conformity with the conventional rules of the game of tennis and participants may use the conventional tennis racket and tennis balls during the play.

The ball is preferably served by girls from the service boxes indicated by the oor lines 9, and

by boys from back of the base line 6. The serve alternates from right to left for successive serves. The serve is good when the served ball strikes the back board or the bottom board on the serve and does not Contact the net. Should the driven ball miss both the back board and the bottom board, or strike above the line la on the back board l, the serve is out of bounds on the opponents side.

The served ball that is returned over the net from either the back board or the bottom board, must Contact the floor within the confines of the service court opposite handed from that side of the court from which the service was made, in order to be a good serve. The opposing player must return the served ball against either the back board or the bottom board without the ball being arrested by the net 3, in order for the return to be good. Should the returned ball be arrested by the net, it is dead and the point goes to the opponent of the player last striking the ball.

The scoring is in conformity with the conventional scoring in tennis. Separate net supports may be used, if desired.

It is to be understood that the particular embodiments of the invention that are disclosed herein and the constructions of the various parts of the apparatus that are shown and described herein are presented for purposes of illustration and explanation and that various changes in the constructions of the parts described and illustrated and in the adaptations and the uses to which the apparatus may be put may be made without departing from the invention as dened in the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A game equipment, comprising a back board, a bottom board having a surface in angular relation with said back board, and a net spaced from said bottom board and over which a projectile rebounding from either of said boards may be made to pass.

2. A game equipment, comprising a back board, a bottom board in angular relation with said back board, a net spaced from said bottom board and over which a projectile rebounding from either of said boards with substantial reversal in its direction of flight may be made to pass, and means for supporting said net.

3. A game equipment, comprising in combination, a back board, a frame for supporting said back board, a bottom board in angular relation with said back board, a net spaced from said bottom board and over which a projectile rebounding from either of said boards may be made to pass, and means for supporting said net.

4. A game equipment, comprising in combination, a back board, a frame for supporting said back board, a bottom board in angular relation with said back board, a net spaced from said bottom board and over which a projectile rebounding from either of said boards may be made to pass, and means supported by said frame for supporting said net.

5. A game equipment, comprising in combination, a back board, a frame for supporting said back board, a bottom board in angular relation with said back board and supported by said frame, and means disposed in spaced relation from said bottom board for intercepting an object rebounding from either said back board or said bottom board and over which a projectile rebounding from either of said boards may be made to pass.

6. A game equipment, comprising in combination. a substantially vertically disposed plane surface from which an object may be made to rebound, a plane surface disposed below said vertically disposed plane surface and in angular relation therewith and from which an object may be made to rebound, and means disposed in spaced relation from said plane surface disposed below said vertically disposed plane surface that `is adapted for interposing an object rebounding from either of said plane surfaces.

'7. A game equipment, comprising a back board, a bottom board in angular relation with said back board, a net disposed in spaced relation from said bottom board and over which a projectile rebounding from either of said boards may be made to pass, and means for increasing and decreasing the tension of said net.

8. A game equipment, comprising a back board, a frame supporting said back board, a bottom board disposed in angular relation with said back board, a sound deadening material mounted on said back board, a sound deadening material mounted on said bottom board, and means disposed in spaced relation from said bottom board for intercepting an object rebounding from either said back board or said bottom board.

9. A game equipment, comprising a back board, a frame supporting said back board, a bottom board disposed in angular relation with said back board, means for altering the angular relation of said bottom board with respect to said back board, and a net disposed in spaced relation from said bottom board.

10. A game equipment, comprising in combination, a rm back`board that is unyielding under impact and that has a substantially plane surface, a bottom board that is unyielding under impact and that has a substantially plane surface that is disposed in angular relation with the plane of the surface of said back board, means for supporting said back board, means for adjustably supporting said bottom board, a net disposed in spaced relation` from said bottom board, and net supporting means adapted for being folded back into a plane substantially adjacent to that of said back board.

11. A game equipment, comprising in combination, a rm back bo-ard that is unyielding under impact and that has a substantially plane surface, a bottom board that is unyielding under impact and that has a substantially plane surface and that may be adjustably disposed in angular relation with the plane of the surface of said back board, means for rigidly supporting said back board, means for supporting said bottom board and for folding said bottom board substantially into the plane of said back board, a net disposed in spaced relation from said bottom board, and net supporting means adapted for being folded back into a plane that is substantially adjacent to that of said back board.

12. A game equipment, comprising in combination, a rm back board that is unyielding under impact by a resilient ball and that has a substantially plane surface, a bottom board that is unyielding under impact by a resilient ball and that has a substantially plane surface and that `may be adjustably disposed in angular relation with the plane of said back board, means for rigidly supporting said back board, means for supporting said bottom board and adapted for folding said bottom board into a plane that is substantially continuous with that of said back board, a net spaced from said bottom board and disposed in a plane that is substantially parallel with the plane of said back board, and net supporting means adapted for folding said net back into a plane that is substantially adjacent to and substantially parallel with the plane of said back board.

13.l A game equipment, comprising in combination, a firm and unyielding back board having a substantially plane surface, a bottom board with a substantially plane surface that may be disposed in angular relation with the surface of said back board and said bottom board being firm and unyielding under impact, a net spaced from said bottom board and over which a resilient object rebounding from said bottom board may be made to pass, and means for supporting said net and that may be folded back toward said bottom board.

14. A .game equipment, comprising in combination, a firm back board that is unyielding under impact and that has a substantially plane surface, a bottom board that may be disposed in angular relation with said back board, means for supporting both said back board and said bottom board, a net disposed in spaced relation from said bottom board and in substantially parallel relation to the plane of said back board, a net supporting means that is supported by said back 'board and bottom board supporting means and that may be folded back toward said bottom board when said equipment is not in use.

15. A game equipment, comprising in combination, a rm back board that is unyielding under impact and that has a substantially plane surface, a bottom board that has a substantially plane surface and that may be disposed in angular relation with the plane surface of said back board and that is unyielding under impact, means for supporting both said back board and said bottom board, a net spaced from said bottom board in a plane that is substantially parallel with the plane of said back board, and net supporting means that is supported by said back board and bottom board supporting means and that may be folded back toward said back board and said bottom board when said equipment is not in use.

16. A game equipment, comprising in combination, a rm back board that is unyielding under impact and that has a substantially plane surface, a bottom board that is unyielding under impact and that has a substantially plane surface that is disposed in angular relation with the plane of the surface of said back board, means for supporting said back board, means for adjustably supporting said botto-m board, a net disposed in spaced relation from said bottom board, and net supporting means adapted for being folded back into a plane that is substantially adjacent to the plane of said 

